Dance Practice Costumes?

[MissElizabethBrandt]

Hello!

Does anyone have any documentation of dance practice outfits for the upperclass? A friend of mine sent me an image from the hillgrove dance book with the lady wearing this outfit:

I am speculating (since I have never seen anything refered to as a "dance costume" or "dance practice outfit") that she is a younger lady (hence the hair being down) and that is simply the natural height of her skirt.

If one were to take dance lessons they would probably start younger.

Pictures from my history of dance textbooks show ladies in heavily petticoated dance skirts, or hooped skirts with shorter hoops (You can see the "drop point" in some of them) that look simaler to the dance outfit from the book, but I always assumed those were used for the stage and were not considered normal for every day social dance practice.

Any ideas?

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

Having just finished being one of the planners for a fancy dress party I will offer some statements.

Balls featured a certain type of dress and then fancy dress or costume parties/balls featured another.

In the former case you can get away with traditional long silk gown, appropriate headdress, coiffure, accessories.

When costumes are a part of the attire then you can get more whimsical and free. Hoops in many of these fancy dress cases do become shortened (like mid calf) and a considerable amount of the lower leg is exposed including shoes.

I cannot offer much on practice dress for classes. But these short hoops and costumed parties would have been more rare than normal evenings of high life dancing.

You may view some photos: http://agsas1861-65.dotphoto.com/CPV...sp?AID=3716996

[Mrs. Buttrick]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

I recall seeing young people in the recent PBS version of Bleek House wearing some plain mid-calf length dresses in the scenes of Turveydrop's Dancing-School similar to the ones in Hillgrove's and illustrations of the 1853 edition of Bleek House. Mine was primarily a practical concern...it's inconvenient and unseemly to have to lift my skirt to demonstrate steps.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

Consider hemming your skirts to an "active" length--about the ankle bones. This will leave your feet and ankles free to show the steps, but still be within the boundaries of propriety for an adult woman.

I agree with your suggestion that the illustration shows a very young girl--the hair worn down, open neckline, and short skirts fall into the "everyday clothing" category for a girl in late childhood/teens. And, as you mentioned, a young person taking dancing classes is more likely to be young, rather than an adult woman wearing some specialized garment.

[Mrs. Buttrick]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

I guess this was a n0-brainer, Elizabeth, but those are often the toughest problems for me to solve lately. I was wondering how common it was for women to be teaching dance, in a formal, way in our era. I've only read about dance masters.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

That's a very good question, and I don't know the answer. But I do there there are some great dance enthusiasts who may be able to chime in, and we'll all learn something more!

[Sherry Key]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

Just my 2 cents worth...

Everyone seems to be concluding that this outfit is for practicing dance for a "ball". The captions indicate to me that the young lady is practicing ballet. The two illustrations are describing the basic first and second positions of ballet.

It's all in what you are used to seeing...I took many years of ballet so it jumped out at me.

Sherry Key.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

Sherry, if I'm not mistaken, I believe formal ballroom dance also uses balletic positioning for many parts of instruction. There may be some overlap here. The costume does look very much like the ballet engravings seen in the Library of Congress, though, doesn't it? Interesting interpretation! Elizabeth B, does the Hillgrove Dance manual cover ballroom, or perhaps other forms of dance as well?

[KKS]

Dance Positions

Mid-nineteenth century ballroom manuals do use five basic feet positions that are quite close to those used in modern ballet. The pictures that were posted from Hillgrove's are apparently from A Complete Practical Guide to the Art of Dancing, published in 1863--he wrote at least one other dancing manual, but it doesn't have these diagrams.

Later in the book, Hillgrove distinguishes ballroom positions from those "practiced by pupils for stage or fancy dancing." For stage or fancy dancing, his diagrams show five very similar positions, except the feet are in straight lines, not angles (pg 58-9, compare to pg 48-50).

Sherry--I also took years of ballet before I started studying period dance, so I was glad for the resemblance!

Kira Sanscrainte

[Mrs. Buttrick]

Re: Dance Positions

Mid-nineteenth century ballroom manuals do use five basic feet positions that are quite close to those used in modern ballet. The pictures that were posted from Hillgrove's are apparently from A Complete Practical Guide to the Art of Dancing, published in 1863--he wrote at least one other dancing manual, but it doesn't have these diagrams.

Later in the book, Hillgrove distinguishes ballroom positions from those "practiced by pupils for stage or fancy dancing." For stage or fancy dancing, his diagrams show five very similar positions, except the feet are in straight lines, not angles (pg 58-9, compare to pg 48-50).

Kira Sanscrainte

Elizabeth B was thoughtful enough to post those Hillgrove plates I sent her. I'm relatively new to the practice of nineteenth-century dance forms, but have been dancing since childhood (long ago). In almost every form I've studied--Scottish highland, Irish ceili and even Israeli--the positions are practiced for balance, posture and strength. As all of you in this discussion must know, turnout, in one degree or another, is essential. In The Art of Dancing Historically Illustrated to Which Is Added a Few Hints on Etiquette (1859), Edward Ferrero (page 115) writes:

Rudiments of Dancing. Before describing the various dances now in vogue, we will endeavor, by means of plates, to illustrate the five positons, a knowledge of which is absolutely necessary in order to comprehend the different dances which are composed of the five positions in motion…In order to comprehend the round dances, hereinafter detailed, it is necessary that the reader should become proficient in the five positions to which these dances have reference.

Ferrero makes a point of the lack of attention to detail in dance, including the bow and courtesy (page 119):

We have lately been more fully impressed with the necessity of a greater attention, among dancers, to this branch of the art. On the introduction of the Lancers, in the figures of which there is an exchange of salutations, many persons, through an ignorance of the form and manner of performing them, were subjected to ridicule and remark, which might have been avoided had they paid some regard to the first principles of dancing.

And Hillgrove, in his 1863 edition, mentions that proper position allows dancers to stand and move for long periods without fatigue (page 46):

The rationale of the position of the feet which is directed to be generally adopted, is as follows: The larger the base of support, the firmer and more solid will be the position. The universal principle in mechanism applies here--the greater the extent of surface occupied by the base of any body, the less probability is there, when in motion, of the vertical line from the center of gravity falling beyond the base, and the less danger of the equilibrium being lost.

To wit, with proper position and posture, we can dance all night!

All of this brings me back to the need to hem skirts. My so-called students need to see my feet in the proper positions, and I need to see theirs. Beauty and grace are in the details. And so is the joy!

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Dance Positions

What interesting additional information! Thanks!

Does Hillgrove have any suggestions for dance-happy wives with dance-recalcitrant husbands? :)

[Mrs. Buttrick]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

Elizabeth, Might your husband be persuaded by Edward Ferrero?

Life is dark enough with sorrow, without shrouding our brows with gloom. The moments of mirth, of innocent recreation, are the oases in the desert of existence. Man was made for enjoyment.…When God gave him the power of motion, he at the same time implanted in his nature a craving for society, for sympathy, and the exercise of his faculties.

Read more by him if you can!

By accident this afternoon, I came across advertisements for two dancing schools in the 28 September 1864 Milwaukee Sentinel.

[CENTER]

DANCING ACADEMY.
MARTINE'S
Milwaukee Dancing Academy
Re-opens for the Season
On Friday, October 14th.
Juvenile Class meets at 4 P.M.
OPENING SOIREE, FRIDAY EVENING
A full band of music will be in attendance. A cordial invitation is extended to former patrons and friends.

DANCING ACADEMY.--Professor Vizay will open, on the 1st of October, his Academy for the Instruction of young people and ladies and gentlemen in Dancing, at the musical Society's Rehearsal Hall, No. 265 Market Square, opposite St. Charles' Hotel. Lessons for children from 2 till 4 P.M., and ladies and gentlement from 8 till 10 P.M. Wednesdays and Saturdays. Also, private lessons given without extra charge. Music and cotillon calling furnished for parties in private residences on very reasonable terms. Office in the same building with the Dancing Hall

Our little society opens a second location for dance lessons next Tuesday in Muskego, Wisconsin. All--ladies, gentlemen and children--are welcome. Wish you all could come, too.

[Sherry Key]

Re: Dance Practice Costumes?

"formal ballroom dance also uses balletic positioning "

Elizabeth, Well that would explain it! I have not had any formal ball room dance instruction so was unaware of that detail. Makes sense to me though.

Funny how our frame of reference allows us to interpret things so differently!

Lots of great information, thanks to everyone!

Sherry Key.